Galveston Updating Historic Design Standards and Preservation PlanAttend the February 27 Community Workshop to Review the Revised Draft

Galveston, Texas – Next week the public has another opportunity to discuss the draft update to the City of Galveston’s Design Standards for Historic Properties and Preservation Plan. As part of the Progress Galveston project, plans, policies, and design standards that guide historic preservation efforts and initiatives on the Island will be revisited. The current draft documents and a memo summarizing the key revisions, updates, and additions not included in the previous drafts are now available at http://www.progressgalveston.com.

The City’s existing preservation plan, Progress Through Preservation, was adopted in 2005 and serves as the guiding document for preservation activities. The plan builds on the goals and objectives set forth in the recently approved Comprehensive Plan’s Historic Preservation Element and provides direction for the City to protect the community’s architectural, archaeological, cultural, and historical resources. It also includes an action plan which establishes priorities, responsibilities, and a timeline for implementation.

The City’s Design Standards for Historic Properties, prepared in 2004, provides guidance for locally-designated landmark buildings and properties in locally-designated historic districts. The Design Standards describe the “types of alterations, restorations, rehabilitations, and changes that are appropriate to maintain the integrity” of important resources.

The project team has reviewed existing plans and conditions, as well as met with local stakeholders and the Landmark Commission to identify strategies to protect resources, improve procedures, and promote the preservation and adaptive reuse of historic resources Island-wide. The upcoming meeting is the third in a series of public workshops.

For more information about the Progress Galveston initiative and the specialized plans the City of Galveston is developing and adopting, please visit http://www.progressgalveston.com.